I have a terrible habit of choosing fancy breed chickens that aren't the best layers and go broody (stop laying eggs and want babies). We do have a nice mix and do have some "Just Good Layers" but probably at least half are fancy/broody types. Silkies and Cochins feature heavily in our flock, none of these are heavy layers and they all want to go broody every so often. They're great birds, don't get me wrong but they aren't laying an egg a day or even an egg every other day during many parts of the year. We had such a dearth of eggs in the fall due to broody girls that I had to tell my few customers that I couldn't supply eggs for the time being. So this spring it will be JUST GOOD LAYERS and maybe just a few fancies. We've ordered 6 good layers from a farm store and if we hatch out anything I'll grab mostly eggs from the better layers. So what did we order?
2 Cuckoo Marans- dark brown eggs and good layers, not too broody.
1 Silver Laced Wyandotte- we already have a Golden Laced Wyandotte. She's a great layer and hasn't gone broody at all in the two years we've had her.
1 Buff orpington- I ordered one of these two years ago and received an extra NH Red instead.
1 White Leghorn- Yes probably one of the most common layers yet I've never had one.
1 Golden Comet- My first production sex-link. We do have other birds that are gender/color linked but they're not production breeds.
We should expect an eggcellent rate of lay from the Golden Comet and the Leghorn and a very good egg laying rate from the others.
I was very excited when I ordered them I think I worried the cashier at the store a bit with my exuberance! Baby chicks are just so fun!
The chicks should arrive at the store on April 5th. I look forward to meeting them.
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